Menu

Thursday, September 30, 2010

September has finally come to an end and yes, we have done quite a few interesting things in the month.

This month we have 5 [Un]Discovers segments and they are all amazing talented people. First off, we have Julie Kaye who is a great digital artist. Then we have Anastasia Redevich, a great shoe designer we should keep an eye on because her shoes are simply stunning! Brad Pickard is another great painter/digital artist and we still cannot get over his Octogirl piece. Tom Hussey is one of the great photographers we have seen on Behance and his "Reflection" campaign is memorizing! Rounding off this month, we have Edward Finney, whom has just showcased his S/S 2011 collection during London Fashion Week!

Aside from the regular [Un]Discovers, we have done a special one for the White Cashmere 2010 event. We are delighted to have the chance to talk to 3 of the 15 designers and they are Paris Li, Caitlin Power and Monica Mei. Click here to take a look at it!

We have also visited Magnolia during this month to see the latest F/W products in the store. We have broken the entry into 2 parts and we hope you find something you want to buy in that store. Click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

Keep an eye on this blog because we will have more exciting things for you in this coming month!

This editorial from the latest issue of Numéro gives me the jaw dropped moment.

This spread is shot by Sølve Sundsbø featuring Emily DiDonato. I am so in love with the water setting and Franck Benhamou, the stylist has done an excellent job on choosing the clothes. The lighting is very experimental and I love the result of it. Last but not least, Emily is doing a flawless job posing here.

Few weeks ago, Edward Finney, a British designer has started to follow me on twitter and after I take a look at his website, my jaws just dropped. I am so in love with his collection and his design skill is phenomenal. In this edition of [Un]Discovers, I am honored to have Edward Finney on board! Sit back , relax and read this amazing feature!

Edward, thank you so much for following me on Twitter or else I would not have the chance to see your amazing collection! So, what made you want to become a fashion designer?
Quite late on really, I wanted to become a graphic designer at 15. I then went enrolled myself for a Art Foundation course and where enjoyed learning about all aspects of Art, halfway through the course a decision had to be made which subject I was to focus on. Still only 18 I was really into girls (as most blokes at that age are) and thought it clever to focus on Fashion as I would be the only bloke studying with a group of girls. It paid off and I really took to fashion, it seemed to combine all the aspects of Art I enjoyed. I received a distinction plus a couple of girlfriends!!!

Oh great, I think this has to the best explanation why a fashion designer choose this path as his/her career. I know you have worked in both Alexander McQueen and Galliano studios before. How was the experience? Did you learn a lot from these 2 fashion houses?
With McQueen I was assistant to the Head of Menswear as an intern-ship. At that time Lee was re-introducing his Menswear Line, so I guess I worked on the first re-launch collection. I was great to be able to join Lee in the fittings and see the magic that was McQueen. He will always be an inspiration to all designers.
At Galliano I worked as assistant designer for 4 years, I learnt everything I could. Being an Assistant Designer you need to complete many various tasks that the Senior Designer would not have time to do, this enabled me to learn quickly. I would even concentrate on the business and press side of the company and try to understand how the fashion house worked. John is an amazing gentleman with a great aura, I was very lucky to have spent time working with him.

I am sure a lot of people must be very jealous right now since what you have been through are some very rare opportunities! I know you may have answered this already, but who are your inspirations?

Having been luckily enough to work with two of the most influential designers (possibly EVER) I would be mad not to mention their heavy influence on me. I would like to think that I combine some elements from both. I am heavily into infamous Women who had a great story to tell about their life.

I don't know why but your answer just reminds me of one person: Daphne Guinness. Well, let's get back to your collection now. What adjectives will best fit to describe your collections? Why?
Strong - because I am partly inspired by my Mum who has a fantastic 80's 'Power Dressing' style.
Mysterious - Evoking the type of Woman that leads two lives.
Chic - Influenced by the time I spent in Paris, amazed by the great style and taste which most Parisians naturally have.

Those are the words I will use to describe your collection too! I know you have just showcased your S/S 2011 collection, can you tell me more about this collection?
My Spring/Summer 2011 collection was shown during London Fashion Week as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout. I hope to also showcase my work in Paris for Fashion Week in October (TBC).
This season was inspired by exotic dancer, courtesan and spy Mata Hari and draws on influences from Ancient Egypt and Paris in the late 1920's. The dramatic juxtaposition of drape and tailoring, sheer and heavy fabrics epitomizes the edgy femininity that I try to bring.

I have seen the photos of this collection and I think they are amazing! I love the mysterious feeling to it. You have worked as the assistant menswear designer at Alexander McQueen before, are you planning to design menswear in the future? If so, what kind of style will we expect to see?
At the moment I want to concentrate on my Womenswear, this is only my second season and I am really enjoying designing for Women, I feel more free without any limitations (which you get with Menswear).

------------------------------------

Now is time to know Edward more with these trivia questions!

Type of music you need to listen to when you work:
At the moment it has to be Burial.

Favorite cocktail drink:
Long Island Iced Tea, Classic.

Favorite season of the year:
Autumn, for the colours.

One thing you can't leave with when you are out:
My Wallet

Favorite movie of all time:
Tough one........ 2001: A Space Odessey , True Romance, The Fall, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Moon. Sorry!!! I can't give one answer.

Dog or Cat person:
Cat, they are self-sufficient.

Country you want to visit in the future:
Japan, I would love to travel that country.

Favorite color:
Grey

Favorite magazine:
The Last Magazine and PaperPlanes. Both young, fresh magazines which have great editorials.

Favorite sport activity:
Soccer (Football), however I am more of a supporter than a player. I support my local team Arsenal FC.

Edward, I am so honored to have you on board for this [Un]Discovers series and I enjoy reading your answers a lot. I wish you all the best and hopefully I will be able to visit you in London soon! All photos are courtesy of Edward Finney (from his S/S 2011 collection) and you can see more of his works at his official website.

Dolce & Gabbana had put another fabulous collection together with with one romantic theme - hope chest. Hope chest, a chest that is used to collect items of clothing or linen, by an unmarried young woman in anticipation of married life. (ref)

In Dolce & Gabbana's story, the girls had collected bedspreads, tablecloths, and curtains in their chest, in making use of these beautiful fabrics, they transformed them into sheath dresses, sexy skirtsuits, baby-doll dresses, rompers, and corsets. The girls also had their dresses with broderie anglaise, a velvet floral, and the last but not least, the leopard print. Of course it's strange to have leopard print in the chest, but if the collection is without this print, it's not Dolce & Gabbana anymore. In the end, clear crystals are added onto the dresses for more glamourous effects, and as evening looks.

I like retro processing photos (acid hue at some certain extent) because the photos always look very timeless and attractive.

In the latest edition of Numéro Homme, Sofia Sanchez & Mauro Mongiell has done an retro vibe spread featuring Benoni Loos. I really love the red, yellow and green background and with the blueish tint, the whole spread has a glooming feeling. Last but not least, Benoni has a pair of great eyes and this asset is totally grabbing everyone's attention.

To link every piece together in this Gianfranco Ferré S/S 2011 Collection, innovative and glamours should be the right words to use here.

The opening number is innovative: horizontal python patterned streamlined coat with matching patterned skirt. I rarely see horizontal python stripes on clothing so this is rather fresh to me. Other than this ensemble, the leather weaved skirt has caught my eyes and I am loving the details. If you are not a fan of black and white, fear not, because there are some color blocks dresses that will suit your taste.

Overall, this is a solid collection and I have to give props to Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi for making some glamours pieces with innovative ideas.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Photographer Natalia Gołębiowska has recently done a creative shoot and the photos are beautifully haunting. Kate, the model in this spread, is looking very beautiful and her expression has captured my heart. I am loving how one of the shots which Kate has all the spikes at the back. The photo processing technique is superb here or else you will not have the haunting feeling when you see the photos.

2 weeks ago I have talked about one of the editorials featured in the 1st issue of Pulp Magazine and today, I have another one for you.

This spread is shot by Owen Bruce and the fashion editor is Juliana Schiavinatto. I like this series because I love the multiple exposure photo treatment. Also, Addison Bill is pretty edgy here which scores another point for me to love this spread. Oh, if you have not noticed, all clothing here are by Line Knitwear.

Polka dots, stripes, and big ruffles are happening all at once in Moschino Spring Collection, probably should called that the theme pattern of the season. All these patterns are on jackets and cropped trousers, bustier dresses, tie-neck blouses, and mom jeans. Navy blue jackets with fringed edges, red and blue, black and white, jumbo polka dots, and floral appliques, all these colours and patterns are creating a highly energetic collection. With the extraordinary tailoring of Moschino, the cutting of each piece just go perfectly with the patterns and colour. This collection, in one way or the other, reminds me of the sailor style, yet it's full of excitement.

Hannibal Laguna is one of the brands that has caught my eyes during Madrid Fashion Week. Satin gowns in pink, red, black and jacquard print pieces are what you can see throughout the whole runway show. Even though the designs are simple and clean, the color is the major key player that makes the whole collection to a glamorous level. I personally think Natalie Portman will look good in some of the pieces.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Does that last gown from this collection look familiar? Yes, it's one of the iconic Lady Gaga's dresses. Francesco has been working with Lady Gaga and Rihanna in the past, and he called this collection 'A Celebration of My Tradition', so it is no surprise that Lady Gaga's dress would be in. Styles that he revisited in this collection also includes the creamy rubber dress with pearl studs, gold swan fetish mask, statement blouse with ruffles circling the throat, and his favourite leopard print dress.

In the latest issue of Vogue Russia, Jason Kibbler has done an amazing spread featuring Pauline van der Cruysse. The clothes here fit so well with the edgy and cool look and I can't get enough of Pauline's attitude in this series. Major props go to the makeup and hair team and also the stylist!

If Madrid Fashion Week is all about fun, exaggerated clothing, this collection will be the best example.

Francis Montesinos' S/S 2011 collection is full of entertaining elements. The show starts with the ladies wearing some flower girl outfits with sharp shoulders. Then chiffon and knit start to come into play and I am fascinated with the combination of these 2 elements. After that, there comes some satin pieces with folklore prints and floral pattern pants. The show ends with some gowns that look like witches will wear. I think this is pure entertainment for both the men's and women's collection and believe it or not, I do see some pieces that are good for everyday wear.

Following the men's collection, bright squared hospital scrubs are carried into the women's collection. Adding onto the plain bright coloured hospital scrubs are stripes, curve pattern from the baroque interior, and some monkeys and bananas are also added onto the stripes as the show goes on. Muiccia describes this collection as "brave, bold, and obvious". It is brave as it is a very edgy design, bold as the colours that are used in this collection, obvious as everything is very straight forward, we need nothing from the back story to understand the collection.

Drapes, fringes and bright color dresses are what you can see on the models are wearing throughout the show. You may have a feeling the clothes are not completely done but to me, I feel the rawness and edginess. Also, the collection reminds me of the Native Americans because of the feather decoration and prints on the garments. As for the menswear, I am very attracted to the blazers because they are either very bright in color or the print is what I like.

Every Tuesday, a Fashion topic is chosen, and the discussion gates are open to everyone on Twitter, to come and weight in their two cents via Twitter and comments on the website debate host. So there are 2 ways to participate.

- Join us on Twitter by following us and interact @FashionCrazy_ @MissSLY & @fusionofeffects; Then add the Tag #fashionunfold to your tweets

- You can leave a comment to this post.

I will be constantly checking the response and if I see any interesting ones, I will post them right here (which means this entry will be in a constant update mode). Last week's topic was Celebrity Clothing Lines and this week, it leads back to one of my personal favorite topic: Trend vs Personal Style.

Synopsis:
As many of you know, many designers have showcased their latest S/S 2011 collections these few weeks and there are a few trends I have noticed for the womenswear: fringe, chiffon (huge trend in NYFW), python pattern and studs.

Question:
As designers are showcasing the trends for next season, some of the elements are not totally wearable. The question is, should we continuously follow the fashion trend for each season or should we develop our own personal style to showcase our strength?

My 2 cents:
I love to see the trends on a runway show but that does not mean I am a blind follower. For me, personal style is very important because how you dress really defines who you are. I love military inspired clothes because they can enhance my personality in the public. I know this coming season the trend for menswear is leaning towards loose fit, or drapes but unfortunately, I do not have the urge to be a Jedi from Star Wars due to the fact that my height cannot carry those clothes nicely on my body.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Next Spring and Summer, it is all about pyramids and corals for Ada Zanditon's collection!

Pyramora is the theme for this collection and this word is made up by 2 elements: 'Pyra'mids and C'ora'l. Triangular shape is the major element this season and one of the most memorable pieces is the Pyramora vest. I am very in love with the color platte this time around especially the blue and red (with coral digital print) blend so well together.

This collection has definitely given me a new prospective on ethical fashion. Congrats Ada, your show is simply brilliant!

Have I ever mentioned here in the blog that I'm a water bottle collector? I collect a lot of water bottles, especially ones from Evian. Their original bottle design is lovely, and they started this fabulous collaboration with fashion designers which made me drool over all of them. After Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Paul Smith, here comes Issey Miyake for the French water. This colourful design sends out so much positive energy, even autumn has already arrived, it feels like spring is coming with the simple, yet colourful flower.

After seeing a very exaggerated show from the last show, now is time to go back for a more normal collection.

I love pastel colors and this Ion Fiz Primavera collection just suits my taste. White, pastel green, red, blue and yellow just give me the summer breeze feeling. Ruffle and drapes are some of the elements I can see here and the satin material is making the clothes look very smooth and classy.

In this collection, there are a few menswear pieces and the blazer and sweater are working for me. Overall, I think this is a nice collection and I would love to see girls wearing them on the street in the near future.

This is not anything classic from Gucci. As the first model stepped out, we know we are about to see something very different. Bright and dramatic colours, high waist trousers with golden belts, asymmetrical bodices, excitement increases one after the other. As the show goes on, leather works begin to dominate the collection. Different shades of leather including beige, carmel, brown and black, are heavily laced and decorated with frills or dotted with golden studs. Evening gowns are sparkled with gems, metals, and beads, putting on another glamourous look from the 70's. Gucci did not forget the fashionista beloved accessories, bags and shoes are all made up with laced leather, golden clutch are also available for the evening events.

I will not lie, this collection puts a big smile on my face and this is a highly entertaining show.

This is Agatha Ruiz de la Prada latest S/S collection and exaggeration is probably the word to describe the clothes. Designs range from giant checkered box dress to vest made of flora shapes, or dresses that are made of balls from the ball play pit to a giant heart shape dress. The whole collection is like a carnival and the colors are so bright to a point they will instantly cheer you up. Even though most of the clothes are very dramatic and most likely for performance purpose, I can definitely find a few selective pieces that fit the term "Ready To Wear".

Are you wearing a big smile after seeing this collection? I am. I hope you are too.